All Things Considered

Commonly referred to as "ATC" and a staple for afternoon commutes, NPR's nationally syndicated afternoon news magazine brings you closer to home with the presence of WAMU's local host.

Since May 3, 1971 All Things Considered has been produced every day from NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Featuring a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features, "ATC" produces 2 hours of fresh content every day for hundreds of public radio stations around the United States.

Elliott Francis

Local Host, All Things Considered

Francis has worked alongside some of the most influential media executives in the U.S. during his 25 years as a news anchor, including FOX News President and Chairman Roger Ailes, former CNN Executive Vice President Ed Turner, and the founder and former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. In 2002, shortly after joining the ABC news affiliate in Washington DC (WJLA-TV) as the morning co-anchor, Francis was thrust into the rigors of live, non-stop coverage of the DC sniper shootings and investigation, sometimes speaking 8-9 hours unscripted. A skilled interviewer, Francis once convinced singer John Denver to go "on-camera" with details of his upcoming DUI trial.

As hurricane season begins, New Yorkers are debating how to protect the city's 520 miles of coastline from major storms and rising sea levels. One camp favors giant offshore barriers to divert storm surge. The other says barriers are too expensive and too risky. They argue New York must learn to live with water by making streets, subways and buildings more resilient to flooding.

Three for a Song is a performing trio with a love for the 1930s, during which some of the greatest songwriters who ever lived wrote music that would enter the canon of American popular song. But the group has recently added a quirk to its repertoire: performing songs that were never popular.

Syrian troops and Hezbollah militants have recaptured the town of Qusair. The town near the Lebanese border had been under rebel control for more than a year. Rebel commanders confirm that their forces have retreated to two villages north of the town. Kelly McEvers

Lawyers for Jefferson County, Alabama, and its creditors have reached a deal to end what is the largest municipal government bankruptcy in U.S. history. Both sides were in court earlier Wednesday to hash out the details.

NPR's Tom Goldman talks to Robert Siegel about the possible suspensions of up to 20 Major League Baseball players for their connection to a South Florida lab that allegedly provided performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.

President Obama has selected Susan Rice to take over as White House national security adviser as Tom Donilon steps down after four years. The president is nominating former aide Samantha Power to fill Rice's position as U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

As President Obama meets his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, many experts hope this will be the start of something new: regular high-level contacts. History shows it is always dangerous when established powers face rising powers.

Army Sgt. Robert Bales pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing 16 Afghan civilians in a nighttime massacre. Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Martin Kaste, who listened to Sgt. Bales recount the killings at a military court hearing in Washington state. Bales has struck a deal with prosecutors that will spare him the death penalty.

With Amazon reportedly moving into the online grocery delivery arena, Audie Cornish speaks with industry analyst Bill Bishop of the consulting group Brick Meets Click, about what the online giant stands to gain or lose with its latest foray.

President Obama has selected trusted advisers Susan Rice and Samantha Power for key foreign policy positions. Rice has been under fire for her characterization of the attack last year in Benghazi. She withdrew her name for consideration as secretary of state after Senate Republicans threatened to block her possible nomination. Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about the political calculations behind the president's picks.

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